Fire-escape



(No' Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

J. G. THOMAS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 284,088 Patgnted'Aug. 28,1883,

IJV JVTOR WM 4 .flttal nay N. PETERS. PholoUlMgl-apimn Was 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

J. G. THOMAS.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 284,088. Patented Aug. 28,1885

v L/VVEJVT 0113 N. PETERS. PtwwLnm n h r Walhmgton. n C

UNITED STATES PATENTfOFFICE. 1

JOHN G, THOMAS, OF NEVARK, OHIO.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,088, dated August 28, 1883. Application filed April 10, 1883. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN G. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon,

vwhich form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of this device folded or shut. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of this device as extended for use, only sufficient of the lazy-tongs being shown to indicate their operation; Fig. 3, a detail showing the mechanism for tilting the lazy-tongs and car toward the building; Fig. 4, a detail in section, showing the bottom of car hinged centrally and at the edges on the upper rounds or bars of the lazy-tongs.

This invention relates to that class of devices known as fire-escapes, and the points of novelty consist in the means for raising the lazy-tongs or extensible parts, the construction of the car at the upper end of the extensible portion, the means for tilting the car toward the building, the means for holding the car at any height and for breaking the descent, and, finally, in the general detail of the construction and combination of the parts, all as will now be more fully set out and explained.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes any suitable frame, inthe upper end of the vertical standards a a of which is journaled the main shaft or bearing-shaft B, one end of it being so placed as to be capable of vertical movement, and on the ends of which shaft are pivoted the two lower side bars, a, of each pair of the lazy-tongs 0. To the inner ends of these bars 0 are properly connected the other bars 0 of each of the side pairs of lazy-tongs. The outer ends, 0, of the lower bars project considerably beyond the frame and the lazy-tongs, and, being curved and fulcrumed 011 the main shaft B, form convenient levers and handles by which the lazy-tongs can be raised up or lowered. Between each of the outer joints of the-two pairs of the lazy-tongs are connecting bars or rungs c", to the ends of which thebars c are pivoted. The side bars, 0, are also pivoted to- Thus they have the ded of the car I) extend from side to side of each pair of the lazy-tongs, and each side is pivoted at the ends and center along its lower edge to the bars ctand c of the lazy-tongs. Thus each side as well as the floor of this car will have free movement corresponding to that of the lazy-tongs. The said ear affords ample room to accommodate several persons! The sides of the car are quite high, and these, with the curved bottom, afford ample security against falling out as passengers go up or down in the car.

WVhile I may thus use the levers 0 alone to raise or lower the device, it may sometimes be desirable to use a wheel, as is now shown at E, on shaft 0, journaled in the standards a of the frame, and by means of ropes or chains f attached at any suitable point on the said levers c, and passed over rollers F, and then to the shaft 0, where they are secured. Thus when the wheel E is revolved by any convenient means, as by handle 6, the operation of raising and lowering the lazy-tongs can be easily.

carried out; but any other mechanism may be substituted for this wheel to accomplish the same object.

To hold the wheel at any point, and so maintain the car at any'desired height, the brake G can be applied to the periphery of the wheel E by pressure of the boot. This brake by its connecting-rod 9 also operates the jaw G of the brake 011 the upper edge of the wheel. Thus, or by any like appliances, the desired end can be easily attained.

It frequently happens that fire-escapes cannot be brought sufiiciently near to a building to enable persons to easily pass from the windows into the cage or car in the fire-escape. To obviate such difficulty I have devised a tipping or tilting mechanism whereby the car can be brought as near as is necessary to the window. This mechanism is now shown as applied on the side of the frame opposite the wheel where the end of the shaft B is jour naled in the block a which can be moved vertically in the upper end of standard a by the lever h. Thus when said lever is depressed the said block a is raised up, and this tilts the shaft 13, and consequently the lazy-tongs and the car, so that by placing the device in suitable position relative to a building the car can be adjusted in convenient positions to the window to allow ready passage into it. v This device is very simple in structure. The lazy-tongs and car ean be made of metal, and the frame of wood; but I do not wish to limit myself to any particular materials.

WVhile I have shown the tilting-lever acting intermediately on the shaft B, it may be sometimes desirable to have the shaft merely jourply the lever directly under'it.

naled in a slot in the standard a, and then ap- In this and other like ways I propose to vary the mere details of construction, the essential point of my invention, however, always remaining the same. 7

It is designed to have the frame supplied with wheels, so that it can be easily moved from place to place; or the frame may be so constructed that it can be readily applied to almost any sort of a track. In leaving the car, if desired, the bars or rungs 0 may be used like a ladder.

Having now described my invention, what I claim isg 1. In a fire-escape, a lazy-tong extension having a car structure at its upper end, the lower and upwardly-extending ends of the parts forming the lazy-tongs as above fulcrumed on the main shaft, and constituting levers to be operated by hand or mechanism, and means, substantially as described, for tilting the extensible parts of the structure," subthe car will, while conforming to the movements of the said tongs, always afford space for carriage of passengers.

3. In combination with a lazy-tong fire-escape havinga car at its upper end, mechanism operating on the end'of the main shaft or bearing for tilting said structure, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In' combination with the lazy-tongs O and car D, the frame A, and standards a a, movable block a and lever h, substahtiall-y as described. 1 I 5. In combination with the lazy-tongsO, the car D, having sides D, and hinged floor d, substantially'as described, I

6. The combination, with an extensible structure formed of lazy-tongs, the levers c, flexibly connected to the base of the main frame, extended outward, provided with braces c, and forming parts of the lowest extensionlevers of the structure, and the main bearingshaft B, adjustable for tilting the whole extensible structure by means of a cam-lever, h, all

constructed and adapted to operate substantially in the manner and scribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturcin presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. THOMAS.

for the purposes de- Witnesses: v

D. M. J ONES, JAS. ORIswELL. 

